A 101-year-old lady and her son were rescued safely from a thatched cottage in Bow as more than 90 firefighters battled to bring a massive blaze under control.

The fire began at around 6.15pm on Sunday and the cause has now been confirmed as accidental. It is believed the fire may have started in the property of the chimney then spread to the thatch roof.

At one point, 14 fire appliances were in attendance, as well as two incident support units, a water bowser, and an aerial ladder platform. A hazardous materials and environmental protection officer was also present.

Police attended the scene to aid traffic control, and ambulance crews checked the elderly woman as a precaution.

The Salvation Army attended to supply catering for the 90-strong fire crew.

Western Power Distribution attended to isolate the property's electricity supply. It is also understood an 11,000-volt cable ran close to the property.

The fire was finally brought under control at around 11.30pm, but the ground floor, first floor and roof had been severely damaged by the fire.

One fire appliance was still in attendance at 7.30am on Monday, damping down the property.